How to Save a Life
by Aoka-Chan
Summary: "Lloyd, please don't do this. Please! I'm begging you!" When Lloyd has a plan to impress his hero and things take a turn from the worst, can Kratos save him in time? Or will all efforts truly be in vain?


**Writing Prompt**: Write when you and another person (friend, sibling, family, etc) bonded.

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Okaaaay, so I twisted the prompt a little and put Lloyd and Kratos instead of me and someone. Heh…rubs neck- my bad? This is just a little father/son oneshot I wanted to make. Hope you enjoy.

Kratos! Disclaimer! :D

Kratos: …

Me: Dammit, I said now!

Kratos: Aoka-chan does not own Tales of Symphonia…thank Martel for miracles.

Me: Thanks-Hey!

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**How To Save A Life**

"Lloyd, that's not how you fish!" A boyish voice laughed into the bright, sunny day. "Hasn't your dad ever taught you how to fish? Man, you're not supposed to cast your line on the trees!" Genis Sage, Lloyd Irving's best friend, never thought the teenager wouldn't be able to not do something this easy but he was going to bask in the glory of being better than Lloyd for as long as he could.

"Sh-shut up, Genis! Dad was always busy with work…it's not like I didn't _want _to learn." The brown eyed boy cried, face flushed from embarrassment. Lloyd pulled on the fishing pole trying to pull the hook loose from a tree, wishing he could die. Anything would be better than face the humiliation, right?

"…" Kratos had to admit, it was a pretty amusing sight as he watched his son get tangled up in the wire. The mercenary could just feel the smirk pulling on his lips as he stood leaning on a tree, located under the shade. He saw Raine laugh into the book she was supposed to be reading. He breathed a deep sigh of contentment and closed his eyes.

"Wha-Shut up bastard!" The seraph opened one red wine orb to see a flustered child fuming at him. "Sorry I'm such a disappointment!" Realizing that Lloyd was talking to him, he closed his eye again.

"You should not care about what I think of you. Do not get attached. You shall die in battle that way." He stated coolly.

"Attach…? What…screw you! Like I could get attached to some prick like you! Never in a million years!" His son glared at him. Kratos could feel the knife slice at his open heart. He inwardly cursed at his stupidity of leaving his guard down as grief consumed him.

"Ah, such harsh language for a child who cannot even fish, don't you agree, Miss. Sage?" He remarked breezily, almost choking on his sorrow. Genis doubled over laughing, having to hold onto his sides for support as Raine just flipped another page she was supposedly reading.

"I-I'm not a child! Right Colette?" He insisted, quickly turning around to look at the Chosen minding her own business, white scarves flying behind him.

"U-um, well, you _are_ only-," Stopping at the look she got she covered her mouth and gave a muffled 'eep' and turned around.

"Wha-? Colette! Whatever, I don't need to know how to fish! I can just catch them with my hands!" Lloyd declared as he took off his boots and started rolling up his pant legs.

"H-how are you going to do that, Lloyd?" his half elf friend asked, wheezing slightly from laughing so hard.

"Um…I'll swim out and get them with a net! Seems like a pretty good idea, right?" He asked proudly. Colette turned from the lake and gasped.

"Lloyd, no! You're not a strong swimmer!" She cried, trying to stop him from doing something dangerous.

"Come on, Genis! You're gonna watch how cool this will be!" Lloyd shouted as he ran toward the nearby cliff looking out by the body of water. Genis hesitantly got up and jogged after him.

"Oh, brother…" He whispered as they climbed their way to the top of the huge drop off.

Colette dropped her pole in a flash and ran toward Kratos and Raine. Pulling on the mercenary's sleeve, the young vessel began panicking as she told her elders what Lloyd was about to do.

Kratos inwardly cursed as he looked at the professors usually calm face pale incredulously in seconds. Dropping his sword, the angel quickly took off his boots and sprinted towards the boys, begging Martel to let his baby be safe.

"Lloyd, please don't do this. _Please_! I'm begging you!" Genis shouted as he watched his best friend take a couple steps back and start running.

"_Lloyden_!" Kratos screamed as he saw his son going towards the edge. The boy turned his head and tried to stop as he saw the fear written as clear as day on his hero's face. But, to no avail, his momentum was far to great as he pummeled towards the water, eyes wide with terror and a silent scream ripping out of his throat.

Everything was in slow motion as Kratos saw how scared his child was as he fell off of the cliff. Faster than sound itself, the auburn haired seraph dived toward his freefalling boy. Lloyd reached his hands out toward his father, eyes pleading for safety.

"Lloyd!"

"K-Kratos! Help!" Kratos pulled the terrified boy to his chest and tried to turn them but they hit the water faster than he thought they would, making Lloyd take the brunt of the hit. The man could do nothing but watch his sons back arch toward him in pain as he sucked in water, more than he should. He watched his baby start to struggle against him, sheer horror etched into his beautiful brown eyes. He watched as those eyes slowly slid close. Watched as he fell limp against him. All he could do was watch.

And it killed him.

It seemed like forever before they reached the surface. Kratos had his deathly pale son in a tight grip against his chest as he swam as fast as he could toward everyone else.

As the water height got to the point where he could easily maneuver around, Kratos hastily lifted Lloyd into his arms before running over to Raine, who was waiting for them at the bank. When he was out of the deathly fluid, the red eyed mercenary dropped to his knees and gently placed Lloyd on the grass.

He put his ear up to Lloyds heart trying to hear any beats and not the children screaming in the background. He swallowed his own shouts and cries as he realized that his sons heart wasn't beating. Kratos instantly began the chest compressions as he started the CPR steps. Silently pleading to anyone out there to save his baby boy, the wine-eyed man began pushing up and down on the thin torso. Realizing this wasn't just going to work, the worried father instinctually tilted Lloyds head back and grabbed his chin. He pinched the small nose with his fingers and covered his mouth over the chestnut haired boys, Kratos began to try and breathe life into the dead boy below him.

Minutes ticked by as everyone watched Kratos desperately repeating his actions. No one could stop the tears as they slowly began to realize the ever strong Lloyd wasn't coming back.

Kratos could feel his own eyes mist over as he felt Raine half heartedly try to pull himself off of Lloyd.

"Don't touch me," He hissed, glaring at her before turning back to his earlier administrations. Kratos knew the many feelings that were slowly washing over him. Grief, despair, insanity. He feared that if he failed this boy again that he truly would lose his mind.

"Lloyd, wake up, my son. I beg of you." He whispered longingly into his baby's soft, brown hair so much like his beloved Anna's. Giving one last pump onto Lloyds chest, he pulled the teen into his lap, not caring about the audience. They were to mortified to even care, he concluded silently.

Kratos carefully put his arms around the boy and tightened his hold on him.

"I'm so sorry…I have failed you, Lloyd. I-," He stopped talking as he felt the boy convulse and start coughing up seawater all over the purple clad swordsman.

"Lloyd!" Kratos cried as he quickly patted his prodigy's back, trying to get the excess water out of his lungs.

"Kr-Kra-tos…?" Lloyd couldn't even finish his sentence as he choked on more water. His throat felt so raw as he continued to puke the stuff up. He vaguely realized where he was and who he was with. He jumped off of the damp lap of his hero and landed on his hands as he tried to breathe the sweet air he couldn't seem to get enough of.

Lloyd felt an arm latch around his waist and pull him up as he felt all his energy leave and send him falling towards the ground. He opened his eyes to little slits to see Kratos yelling at him.

"-and do you know how scared your friends were? How scared _I _was? That was reckless and intolerable! Your grounded as soon as your able to stand! For…for life! You are to never leave my sight and-," Lloyd looked up at the blurry figure and smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, d-da-d." He whispered, leaning into Kratos' safe arms.

Kratos stiffened at the name and internally panicked. That is, until he saw his drenched son in his arms. Kratos let a true smile grace his features as he pulled Lloyd to him once again. And he was intent on never letting go.

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You're probably confused. "Does Lloyd already know Kratos is his father?"

"Is margarine really butter?" Both are no's.

Lloyd was just very confused at the time so don't worry n.n

So, this is totally them bonding :D don't you agree? Bonding is saving someone from death. It's true! Just last week my brother saved me from drowning at a water park. We bonded like there was no tomorrow…

But yeah…Sorry the end was all ksdjfnsjkvnsd. It happens, ya know? But if things got to intense and Lloyd truly _did _die, I totally would have used a life bottle. Hoped you enjoyed ^^!

-Aoka-chan


End file.
